


Hardcore

by PotatoTrash0



Category: Powerpuff Girls
Genre: Aged-Up Character(s), Anger, Angst, Character Study, Gen, If you remember the “hardcore bubbles” episode, Introspection, Light Angst, Platonic Relationships, Sisters, The Powerpuff Girls, this is basically that
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-17
Updated: 2020-05-17
Packaged: 2021-03-02 20:54:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,142
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24233140
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PotatoTrash0/pseuds/PotatoTrash0
Summary: “ She takes another second to look at the acidic lime color of the monster.It’s gross, she thinks, as she dives towards it in a light blue blur, Blossom’s indignant cries falling behind her as she readies a blast of plasma in her palms.“—So I usually do character study/introspection stuff before I write anything involving a new fandom/character, and this is that.
Relationships: Blossom Utonium & Bubbles Utonium & Buttercup Utonium
Kudos: 9





	Hardcore

**Author's Note:**

> Yeah, I took the concept from the original cartoon.

The Girls had labels they had always gone by.

Blossom, the genius.

Buttercup, the tomboy.

And Bubbles, the girly girl.

She was sick of it. 

It wasn’t that Bubbles didn’t deem herself as girly, no, not at all! She loved fashion, she — to her slight chagrin — perfectly fit the bill.

No, what she was sick of was everyone underestimating her. She always had been. It was nice, getting attention from people, she had always loved meeting new friends; but no one really...took her seriously.

She was always getting asked what it was like, being so popular. So pretty. So untouchable. But all of it was directed towards her looks and her girlish reputation.

She was never  once asked what it was like, beating up villains. Fighting monsters. Stopping crime. Because she wasn’t the toughest fighter or the commander. She was the joy and laughter.

She hated it. Hate was a strong word, but she  felt strongly! She hated being talked down to, like she wasn’t good enough, or strong enough, or tough like her sisters.

It felt horrible, being boiled down to her looks and popularity. Maybe it wasn’t as bad as a kid, when she was a child and so young. 

But now? 

Constantly, she was told, time and time again, how pretty she was and how great of a woman she would be, but no one ever stopped to mention how  _ she _ fought too, how  _ she _ stopped criminals too,  how _she was in the fights her sisters were!_

And one day, she snaps. It’s not on something that can be harmed beyond repair. It’s not on something truly alive. It’s a goopy green sludge monster formed from pollution.

Just before she dives in, she takes a second to listen to whatever plan Blossom is spouting — some sort of “attack from afar so as to not get caught in the slime” idea she would normally agree with — and mentally apologize for the impulsive choice she’s about to make. She takes another second to look at the acidic lime color of the monster.

It’s gross, she thinks, as she dives towards it in a light blue blur, Blossom’s indignant cries falling behind her as she readies a blast of plasma in her palms.

When she fires it off, it burns a giant hole in the sludge, smoke coming off the edges. The remaining slime slides down to fill the gap, a loud gurgling sound that makes her stomach churn ringing through the day.

Buttercup’s signature green comes down beside her and swoops below to shoot off a blast of lightning that doesn’t do much, and Blossom speeds to their area, yelling about how they need to stick to the plan. Bubbles tunes it out as she fires off another column of plasma from her manicured hands.

The fight goes from there in a blur, but she can vaguely remember her sisters not showing up in her vision that much other than the occasional flash of neon green or bright pink. Perhaps because Bubbles’s mind was focused on destroying the goop monster, or perhaps because they mostly watched her obliterate the villain single-handedly. Maybe both.

She clearly remembers when the monster is a mere 7 feet tall, tiny compared to the skyscraper height it used to stand at, and she finishes it off with another vertical blast from her fingertips, her hands feeling hot and dry from firing off so many discharges.

Her chest heaved as she caught her breath, previously neat curls messy and knotted, sweat dripping down her face. Her arms were sore, and her hands were going to need a gallon of lotion later, but the steam had been blown off and she felt much better.

The citizens were unharmed, the city itself a bit singed, but nothing they couldn’t fix. Nothing that they hadn’t already done, she mused.

Her sisters were answering questions and concerns, doing basic damage control as Bubbles flew off to the house for a good session of self-care.

A shower and some lotion helped tremendously, and she was reading one of the novels Blossom had picked up at the library — one of the few fiction books she had — when she and Buttercup flew in from the circular openings in the wall. They had long since removed the glass panes from there, as it was the easiest exit when they were in their room as children, and they were almost always on call.

“Hi again!” Bubbles smiled, but it faltered when her sisters shared a look and stayed silent. “Is...something wrong?”

Buttercup opened her mouth to say something, but Blossom beat her to it. “What were you  _ thinking _ ,” she asked, voice harsh and brows furrowing, “diving in so impulsively?”

Bubbles winced, she was contemplating that in the shower earlier. She supposed Blossom noticed and backtracked, “Not that it was a detrimental choice, of course.” she amended, hand coming up to tug at a few pieces of copper hair framing her face. 

“It was a simple slime monster, nothing complicated, but you _did_ hear the plan I detailed, right?” One brow lifted in question, and Bubbles’s gaze shifted to the left as she answered.

“I...may have been sidetracked by a little personal problem,” she muttered, only just loud enough for them to hear. Buttercup’s voice spoke up next.

“Is this about you not being tough enough?” Her lime colored sister huffed, “We already went over that, Blue, it’s  _ bullshit _ . You’re perfectly fine how you are, they just can’t recognize it.”

Bubbles could almost hear the scowl in her voice. Buttercup was always the most defensive about their labels, more so than herself. It was sweet, in a way, how far she would go to protect her sisters.

“I know,” Bubbles sighed, “I’ve just...been getting more stressed, with the monsters becoming more frequent. Meditating hasn’t been helping lately, so I figured maybe letting loose with the crime-fighting would.” If there was anything the trio shared in common, it was that sometimes, violence was the best stress-reliever for them.

Blossom piped up again, “If it helps, the punching bag in our gym is always an option. That way, you don’t damage the city at all, as long as you wear your power limiter.” Bubbles hummed, she had forgotten they had that thing. She rarely went into the house’s personal gym, really. Most of the time, she was out on the town and shopping.

Bubbles smiled and set down the book she picked out, floating over and tugging her sisters into a hug. Blossom returned the hug with a squeeze, though Buttercup squirmed and huffed before doing the same. She pulled back with a grin, “Thanks, girls.”

“You’re welcome,” Blossom replied simply, a warm tone accompanying the words.

“Don’t mention it,” Buttercup grinned, holding out a fist.

With a giggle, Bubbles bumped it with her own.

**Author's Note:**

> I think towards the end, you can see my headcanons for the Girls, but I think it’s still in character
> 
> Also yeah, totally took some inspiration from other fics, I can’t remember exactly which one mentioned the power limiters? I know it was one where Butch had the shit beat outta him by Buttercup and he was kinda into it but I can’t name the title.


End file.
